Dear prospective applicant:
The Department of Physics and Astronomy at Rutgers University will host
a
Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program in the summer of
2023. This page answers basic questions about the program, but we also invite
you to visit the links above to learn more about about
which projects may be available next summer,
how to contact us if you have questions,
and
how you can apply to the program.
(There is also a poster you
can download and print if desired.)
We thank you for your interest and hope to see your application soon!
Sincerely yours,
Geraldine Cochran,
Ron
Gilman, &
Andrew
Baker (REU executive committee)
Special note: We are currently planning to offer an in person experience.
When?
The program will run for 10 weeks, from May 30 - August 4, 2023.
(Prospective applicants for whom these dates are problematic are encouraged
to contact us for guidance before submitting
applications.)
Where?
The REU will be hosted by the Department of Physics and Astronomy,
which is located on the New Brunswick/Piscataway campus of Rutgers University,
in central New Jersey.
What?
The focus of the REU program, as its name suggests, is research.
Each participant will work on a different cutting-edge research project
with a faculty mentor and the other members of his/her research group.
Projects will be drawn from up to
four
different areas:
- astronomy,
- high energy and nuclear physics,
- nanophysics,
and
- physics education.
Participants will present the results of their projects at an undergraduate
research symposium at the end of the summer, and as appropriate will be
encouraged to continue to work on their projects beyond the end of the summer,
and to present their results at a relevant professional conference within
eight months of the end of the program.
In addition to working on their individual research projects, participants
will meet together for one afternoon each week for a common set of
professional development activities. These sessions will focus on conveying
the skills and knowledge needed to succeed as graduate school applicants,
graduate students, and/or members of the workforce and will include
preparation for the physics GRE subject test that features a significant demonstration component.
Each REU program participant will receive support in the form of
- a $6000 stipend,
and
- payment of part or all of the costs of attending a relevant professional
conference.
At any point after the end of the summer, participants who apply to and are
admitted to Rutgers will be eligible for support from a SUPER-Grad (Summer
Pipeline to Excellence at Rutgers Graduate) Fellowship in their first
year of graduate school.
Who?
We anticipate being able to support 10 students in 2023.
We welcome applications from all U.S. citizens and permanent residents who
will have completed 2 to 3 years of undergraduate coursework but not yet have earned B.A. or B.S. degrees as of June 2023.
Students with limited opportunities for research at their home institutions,
women, gender minorities, members of minoritized or marginalized groups, and veterans are encouraged to apply.
Current Rutgers students are not encouraged to apply, and are instead
invited to explore the opportunities for research that are uniquely available
to our undergraduates via the Aresty Research Center.
How?
An application
for the REU program comprises four elements:
- A completed online application form.
Once this form is filled out and submitted, you will be assigned a
unique tracking number that is needed for uploading the other elements
of your application. The tracking number will be automatically emailed
to you and the two people writing letters of recommendation on your behalf,
along with instructions on where to upload those documents. (It will be
helpful to your letter-writers if you can submit this initial application
form sooner rather than later.)
- A personal statement.
This should be uploaded as a PDF file that is not more than two pages in
length. It should describe your research interests, your professional
goals, your background and experience, and your hopes for what you'll get
out of participating in the REU program (more details are provided
here). It's OK if your research interests
and/or career plans aren't absolutely set in stone, or if you're
officially majoring in a subject other than physics or astronomy, or if
you don't have any previous research experience, as long as you explain
clearly and specifically how participating in this REU program
will help you grow professionally.
- A current transcript.
This should be uploaded as a PDF file; it can be a scanned version of
your official transcript or an electronic version of your unofficial
transcript.
- Two letters of recommendation.
Ideally, these should come from math and/or science faculty members
at your home institution who know you at least somewhat well; the
letters should be uploaded by your recommenders as PDF files.
(If you are nervous about asking your professors for yet another set of
recommendation letters, tell them it's OK if they reuse letters that
they sent to other summer programs; we promise not to get bent out of
shape if we see lots of references to "University of X" and none to
Rutgers.) Your recommenders will receive automatic emails instructing them where to upload their letters as soon as you submit the online application form, so it is a good idea to submit that form as soon as possible — and to check very carefully that you have entered their email addresses correctly before submitting the form!
Review of applications will proceed on a rolling basis starting
February 17.
Applications will continue to be accepted and reviewed
until all positions have been filled.
Last edited January 20, 2023.